Unseen Revenant
by autobotgirl12328
Summary: A once regal theater had been downcast and forgotten for years, only supported by rumors. When a family moves in, with the hopes to refurbish and reopen the opera house they find there's still life in this old theater, whether they like it or not.
1. I

Chapter I

Sunlight barely drifted through the silver clouds, gently lighting up the grand staircase, leading to the old columns. The old marble was worn and greyed, bruised by time and fire. A breeze blew through, fluttering against the skirt of Mrs. Belle Lambert. She held her hair back from the wind as she looked to her husband. Mr. Marcus Lambert was looking up at the grand entrance of the former Opera House. He smiled, glancing back at his wife.

"Looking good. At least from the outside," he remarked.

"It doesn't look like it'll be hard to clean up the outside," Belle added.

"Can't wait to look inside."

Belle turned back to the car. Her sons, Jasper and John, were playing among themselves, motioning with fake swords. John, the eldest son, lunged forward, stabbing Jasper directly with his fake blade. Jasper let out a gasp, holding his chest and collapsing to the ground. John cackled, standing one foot on his brother's chest as he waved his arms in victory. Jasper suddenly rolled, shoving John to the ground where the two continued to tussle. Belle laughed, shaking her head.

"Dani, what do you think!"

Belle waved to her youngest child, Danielle. The girl was stood close to the car, holding onto her doll while she eyed the ground. She didn't want to move in the first place, and this was far from where they lived before. It wasn't like she had friends she missed, but rather she missed her old home and garden. This place obviously lacked a garden. Belle took her daughter's hand, pulling her toward the steps.

"This was once an Opera house," Belle explained. "Grandpa used to talk about this place, though even when he was a kid this place was closed."

"Mom, I want to go home," Dani whispered.

"This is our home, now, sweetie," Belle hummed, kneeling. "We're going to live here and fix this place up. You'll love it, I promise."

Dani followed her mother in while her father gathered up the boys. They climbed the steps, entering the large doors. Dani felt a chill run down her, forcing her to tighten her grip on her mother. Entering the lobby, Belle pointed to the grand staircase and balconies in hopes of brightening her child's mood. The elegant stairs split to left and right with a large center balcony. The wallpaper, the few that was present in the lobby, was worn, some parts burnt and ripped. The tiles were equally worn, scuffed with years of use and dusty from the years of lack of use. The lights were off, keeping the room dimly lit from the limited outside sunlight.

"Isn't this pretty?" Belle asked her child.

Dani remained quiet, looking down and cradling her doll. Belle sighed, glancing back at her husband. He was dragging the boys in. Upon entering the lobby, the boys shouted and ran up either staircase. Marcus cursed under his breath, chasing after them. Belle giggled, waving them off. Looking down at Dani again, she let out a deep sigh. Pulling the little girl along, they entered the man stage.

Dani's eyes lit up. Though dust and cobwebs were caking the balconies and broken chairs. The center floor had many of the chairs removed, leaving a large open space. Regardless, the large stage, bordered either side was gorgeous statues, the top draped in flowing figures. The stage went on, missing a backdrop, showing the large behind the scene area. Along the walls leaving the stage were more balconies facing inward.

"With a little cleaning," Belle whispered, "this place could be beautiful again."

Dani looked around, gaze stopping on one of the balconies. The shadows seemed to move as if a figure moved aside. She remained staring at it as he mother dragged her further along. They stepped onto the stage, joined by Marcus. He shook his head with a deep sigh, looking off into the non-existent audience. Belle stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek.

"How are the boys?" she asked, holding her husband's hands.

"Running around God knows where!" he huffed, kissing her on the cheek. "How's Dani?"

"I think it's growing on her," Belle smiled, motioning to the girl.

"What's up there?" Dani pointed toward the balcony.

"That's one of the boxes," Marcus explained. "They were expensive seats used to watch the show."

"Maybe after we're done fixing this place up, we'll save one of those boxes for us," Belle sighed lightly, looking up at the box with dreamy eyes.

Dani watched the shadows move in the box, almost spotting a complete form before her mother dragged her across the stage. She kept her eyes on the box until she could no longer see it. They continued wandering the building, her mother and father pointing out spots they'd like to remodel and fix, not that it mattered to Dani.

Eventually, they reached a cement room, grey walls and pillars with beds laid on the floor. The round window let in the outside light but the dusty glass blocked a lot of the natural light from finding its way inside. Dani grimaced, feeling the grey in her soul. Her father patted her on the head.

"Is this where we're gonna live?" Dani whimpered.

"For now," Belle offered, swinging her daughters arm while squeezing her hand. "This used to house some of the dancers."

"It's not all that bad," shrugged Marcus. "Just needs some paint and cleaning up."

"I gotta sleep with John and Jasper!" gasped Dani, pulling free of her parents. "I don't wanna! They smell!"

"Now, now, Dani," sighed Belle, kneeling. "We all have to make sacrifices right now."

"But…but…" whimpered Dani.

"It'll be okay, sweetie," Bell assured, giving the little girl a hug.

Dani groaned, looking away as her mother brought her in close. The light moved along the ground. She loved her mom and dad. She was used to her parents picking up 'projects' but this was a whole new level, one she wasn't exactly ready for.

"Don't worry, sweetie," Belle offered, pulling away for a moment. "This will be an adventure for all of us!"


	2. II

Chapter II

Tilly wasn't much for DIY projects, especially one as large as the Opera Populaire. Nonetheless, she would support her friend. Entering the dusty lobby, she found Belle scrubbing the floor on hands and knees. Belle was at least dressed for it in her torn jeans and rolled up sleeves. Deep in work, Belle didn't notice her friend walk in, tracking in some muddy footprints. Looking up at last, Belle groaned, getting to her feet.

"I just washed that!" shouted Belle, waving her hands at the floor.

"Sorry, Belle," shrugged Tilly, glancing at the damage she'd caused. "Looks like you haven't made it very far."

"We just moved in, Tilly. Getting some of our stuff in took a bit," she sighed, getting to her feet. "This is still a big place. It'll take some time."

"Where's Marc?"

"He and the boys are pulling up some of the chairs in the main theater."

"Dani?"

"I haven't seen her all morning," hummed Belle, looking around.

"This place _is_ big."

Belle scoffed at her friend, leading her into the main theater. Some of the lamps had been lit, forming gentle lighting. Dust and dirt filtered into the air as the boys tore up the chairs. Jasper and John grabbed the chairs with either hands, pulling it out from the roots and tearing the fabric. They tossed the chairs into a pile of equally torn and ruined chairs. Marcus was slowly working on the other side of the room, carefully removing the chairs in a much slower fashion. His pile was much smaller.

"Marcus, break time!" Belle called out.

Marcus looked up, wiping his brow. John and Jasper cheered, kicking their pile of chairs and racing off. Belle stepped up to her husband and kissed him of the cheek. He returned the expression, smiling lightly as he looked into her eyes.

"What's for lunch?" he whispered.

"I was thinking PB&J," she giggled.

"Get a room," grumbled Tilly, crossing her arms.

"We got an opera house. A room seems a little less impressive at this point," mocked Marcus, pointing his chin at her. "Hello, Tilly. Nice of you to stop by."

"Well, I found some old photos my grandmother had of this place, and I thought you might like them."

Tilly dug into her purse, pulling out a small bundle of photos. Belle gently took them, unwrapping the rubber band and flipping through the worn, black and white images. Marcus glanced over her shoulder but wasn't entirely interested in them, eventually stepping away and grabbing a towel to dry his sweat. Belle smiled, nodding.

"This is great, Tilly. This will really help," she grinned, looking up at her friend.

"Have you seen Dani?" remarked Marcus.

"I thought she was with you," perked Belle, glancing at him.

"There she is!" called out Tilly, pointing up at one of the boxes.

Dani leaned over the edge, watching her parents talk. They looked up at her and waved. She replied in kind. Turning around, she had her doll propped up in the chair. The little cloth doll was dressed in a small blue dress, red belt, black shoes, red yarn hair, and button eyes. One of her arms was a different color than the rest of her, having torn from a battle between Dani and Jasper. While her mother made every attempt to repair the damage, the discoloration was obvious. Nonetheless, Dani loved the doll, because it made her feel better about her birthmark.

"What do you think, Macy?" Dani chirped, sitting in the seat next to the doll. "The shows about to start."

The curtains behind her fluttered, drawing her attention. She remained seated, watching the shadows move around the curtains, outlining a figure. He blended into the background, but she could still make him out, noting the contrast of his dark appearance and the white mask on the side of his face. She looked him over with a blank expression before looking back to her doll.

"Did you invite guests, Macy?" Dani hummed, looking back to the figure. "Is this your box? I'm sorry. Macy bought the tickets."

The figure stepped out of the curtains but still seemed to be wrapped in shadows. Dani stood up, picking up her doll. The figure raised a hand, opening his mouth as if to speak but only gave out a sigh as he looked away. Dani looked over the edge again. Her parents were still talking to Miss Tilly. Dani wasn't sure if she liked Miss Tilly or not. The woman could be fun but also too loud for Dani's liking.

"The shows about to start," Dani remarked again, looking back to the figure.

"What's showing?"

Dani smiled now that the man spoke, though his voice seemed to echo. He tilted his head lightly as he waited for her response. Placing Macy on her lap, Dani sat again.

"It's about a princess trapped by an ogre," Dani explained, "but a prince will come to save her."

"Oh?"

Dani's smile faded lightly as she looked up at him again.

"If you're gonna stay, you have to sit or they'll kick you out."

"Who will?"

"The theater people," she huffed, brow furrowed. "The ones with the flashlights. They don't like it when people stand or talk or have their phones out."

The man grinned lightly, sitting in the second chair. Dani nodded confidently, turning back to the edge of the box. The man watched her lean over the side, eyes intent on the stage. Her eyes seemed to light up as she watched it, though nothing was happening on it. The stage itself was bare, having been torn apart from years of use and the eventual auction of all the props and sets. Everything seemed striped from the old theater's stage, even the floor boards seemed to be barely holding on.

"Dani!"

The man sat up slightly, looking over the edge slightly. He spotted the three adults on the ground floor, one of them waving up to the box. Dani waved back.

"Hi, mom!"

"It's lunch time."

"But the show's about to start."

Marcus shook his head, hands on his hips. Belle nudged him, angrily. Tilly giggled.

"I'm sure they'll wait for you."

Dani turned back to the man.

"Will you save my seat?"

He nodded.

"Coming!"

Dani ran off but soon returned.

"I'm Dani," she offered, rocking on her heels. "It's short for Danielle but nobody really calls me that."

"Hello, Danielle," the man replied.

"What's your name?"

"I don't have one."

"Everybody's got a name," huffed Dani, pouting slightly. "What do your parents call you?"

"I don't have any."

Dani huffed again, shaking her head.

"What am I supposed to call you then?"

"I've been called many things."

Dani folded her arms.

"But you said you didn't have a name."

"A name and what people call you are not always the same thing."

She made a face but eventually nodded.

"Like when I call John booger face?"

The man laughed softly and nodded.

"Okay," Dani smiled. "So, what do I call you?"

The man thought a moment, looking down at the floor. He let out a sigh, looking back up at her.

"Phantom?"

"Okay, Mr. Phantom," she nodded. "Save my seat!"

With that, she ran off again. The phantom leaned back in his chair, though it felt like he was sitting on nothing. It'd been a while since anyone legally set foot in his opera house and even longer since anyone had seen him, dead or alive. Looking down at his hands, he could almost see through them. He was finally living up his name as the Opera Ghost.


	3. III

Chapter III

Belle scrubbed the dishes, questioning how a family of five could produce such an amount within a day. Then again, Tilly did add to the work loud. Even now, she watched from a chair at the table in the makeshift kitchen, munching on some of the left-over chips. Belle didn't want to impose on her friend, especially as a guest. After all, Tilly came a long way into the city to visit.

"How's the kids doin' with this whole thing?" Tilly hummed, crunching on another chip. "Did I already ask that?"

"Well, you know, boys will be boys. What isn't falling apart in this place, they'll wreck harder than time will," Belle sighed. "Dani…gosh, I don't know what she does half the time. She's finding all sorts of little pathways from the old stagehands. I just hope that she doesn't find a way to the rafters. Gosh, I hope the boys don't find the rafters!"

"Boys will be boys," remarked Tilly. "Stupid is as stupid does."

Belle angrily looked back, but Tilly just shrugged. With a huff, Belle returned to the dishes. Tilly stood up, stepping up behind her friend as she dropped the last plate in the sink. Belle glared at her.

"You should let those kids out. Let them find trouble outside. Make friends. You know, kid stuff," Tilly nodded, grabbing a towel and drying some of the wet plates.

"I just worry. There's a lot of bad things out there. I don't want them to get hurt," Belle sighed, shaking her head. "I can't imagine them getting hurt."

"Like falling from the rafters," winked Tilly. "You can't keep them locked up here. They'll go stir crazy. My mom always said a 'little outside time never hurt anybody,' but to be honest I hated every minute of it."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt…if I watch them at least."

"Make Marc do it!" chuckled Tilly, throwing the towel around. "You need some time to yourself, girl. Let's make a day of it!"

"A girls' day?" Belle sighed, sinking the dishes deeper into the water. "I don't know if I can leave her alone with her brothers."

"She's a girl," grinned Tilly, rocking her head back and forth, "we'll bring her. Get our nails done. Go shopping. Toy store for the kid. Get some fancy dinner."

"Why go somewhere fancy. Dani will just get chicken nuggets."

"But we'll get the fancy meals."

Belle let out a deep sigh but nodded. It did sound nice, going out for a bit, just for some personal time. It'd been a while since she'd gone out with Tilly, and some personal time with Dani might help the mother-daughter bond. It'd be better than her relationship with her mother. Belle nodded lightly, glancing at Tilly, as she finished the dishes.

"I'll find Marc and tell him the plan," Tilly cheered, running off.

Dani watched Tilly run across the hall. The makeshift kitchen was backstage, pass the dressing rooms. The wooden structure hardly seemed sturdy after all these years but nonetheless, it was curious floor system. The rickety structure was disconcerting, even at her age. Holding onto Marcy, Dani turned away, heading to the main stage. She stood at center stage, out looking the large theater. She smiled.

"I thought you were watching a show, not in the show."

Dani turned around, spying her new friend standing behind her. He still looked as though he was dressed in the shadows themselves, distinctly different from the white, half mask he was wearing. He offered a small smile, moving closer.

"Maybe I wanna actor," she huffed, hands on her hips. "Or a dancer!"

She spun on her heel, giggling with her arms out until she lost balance and fell over, landing hard on her backside. Her doll fell out of her hands, bouncing down the stage slightly. Sitting up, Dani sighed. Maybe, not a dancer. Leaning over, Dani reached for her doll only for it to be snatched by her brother, John. He passed it Jasper.

"Nice fall, twinkle toes," snorted John.

"Can't even walk right," Jasper chortled.

"I wasn't walking," huffed Dani, getting to her feet. "I was dancing. Dancers fall all the time."

"You? A dancer?"

The two roared with laughter. Jasper passed the doll back to John, who began walking around behind Dani. She spun around, racing for her doll. John promptly threw it back to Jasper. Dani shook her head, hands on her hips. She wasn't about to play keep away. She was slower and shorter than her brothers, but she wasn't going to play into their bullying.

"What's wrong, twerp?" Jasper mocked, dancing the doll around by its arms. "Don't you want your dolly?"

"I'm not going to play keep away with you guys. I'm not stupid."

"Coulda fooled us!"

Dani sighed. In a big place like this, avoiding the two had been relatively easy until this point. She knew it was only a matter of time before they caught up with her. She glanced at the phantom who watched, body completely wrapped in his cloak. He didn't seem confused, more like he was agitated. John shoved her, pulling her attention away.

"Whatcha lookin' at, freak?" he snapped.

"Maybe it's a ghooooost," cooed Jasper, laughing loudly.

"Dad says there's no such thing as ghosts," growled John, shoving Jasper.

"What? You scared?" snickered Jasper.

Dani snuck forward, reaching out for Marcy. As her brothers were snapping at each other, she figured it would be good to take her doll and run. Unfortunately, Jasper caught her, pulling the doll well over their heads. The two refocused on her.

"Want your dolly?" Jasper giggled.

"Just give her back."

"Make me!" John cheered.

Phantom had seen enough, looking around for means of helping. There were several crates nearby from the packing away of old pieces of the theater. Putting one foot on the side of the box, he gave a mighty shove. It slid across the stage with speed and ease, knocking the boys down and throwing the doll into the air. Dani caught her, running off backstage. Phantom followed. Jasper and John sat up, looking between each other and the box.

"Dad!" the two shouted, scampering to their feet and running away.


	4. IV

Chapter IV

Belle held Dani's hand tightly. It'd been a while since she'd gone out with just Dani. Sure, Tilly was there too, but, holding Dani's hand, it felt like they were alone in the world. Her little girl. Hair draped over her face, covering one side of her face, little nose, bright eyes, gentle smile. She was so cute, Belle thought fondly.

"Here it is," Tilly pointed to a small store along the outlet strip.

The three entered, greeted by the staff. It was a lovely little shop, a few chairs to get toe nails done and desks to get their hands scrubbed. A staff member offered to help them, leading them to the chairs in the back. As Dani was too small for the chair, they sat her at the nearby desk. Belle sat her down, setting Marcy beside the lamp. Kissing her on the forehead, Belle took the recliner beside Tilly, placing her feet in the tub. Tilly giggled, patting her friend's hand.

"You look very lovely today, Ms. Tilly," one of the women giggled, putting a cooling agent in the tubs.

"Thank you," blushed Tilly, waving the employee away.

Another employee sat at the table with Dani, pushing the doll away. Belle took in a deep breath, shaking off the moment. Dani grabbed her doll before it fell off the table, placing it on her lap. Still smiling, the little girl offered the employee her hands. They began filing the small nails, moving back and forth gently.

"Do you need anything?" the woman asked, handing Tilly a towel.

"Belle?" Tilly offered, looking over.

"I think I'm fine," she nodded. "Dani, do you need anything?"

"No, I'm fine."

Belle watched the employee deal with her daughter gently. Her anxiety for her little girl was beginning to rise, watching her outside reach. Dani leaned over, hair falling over her fingers. The employee huffed, brushing the hair back to rest of Dani's ear. The woman returned with a small glass of water, setting it beside the other employee. The man leaned toward the woman, whispering in her ear. Though they tried to be quiet, Belle could hear them.

"Thought she was a cute little girl 'til you see that thing on her face," the man huffed.

"Shut it," snapped the woman.

Belle stood up, took her shoes and stepped over, grabbing Dani by the arm. Tilly sat up. Dani stood up, hair falling over her left eye again as she looked up at her mother.

"We'll be going now," Belle snapped.

"But miss," gasped the woman.

"I don't need you talking about my daughter like that," she snapped.

"I didn't say anything," argued the man.

"I'm sorry. We're done here," Belle spoke flatly, pulling Dani out of the shop.

Belle stood outside, adjusting Dani's hair. She wanted to cry. She'd heard comments before about Dani but it'd been a while. Brushing Dani's hair slightly aside revealed a large discoloration along her eye, starting just above the eye and moving down along her cheek. Tilly stepped out of the shop, struggling to put her shoes back on.

"Belle, I am so sorry about that. I had no idea they were that rude," grumbled Tilly, hands on her hips as she looked up at the window with a raised chin. "Last time I go there."

"Don't worry about it, Tilly," Belle sighed. "I just got…a little carried away, I guess."

She let the hair fall back down, covering Dani's birthmark. The little girl smiled, unaware of the problem that occurred. Holding onto her doll, Dani was led away toward the car.

Meanwhile, at the old theater, Jasper and John were investigating the mysterious event of the moving box. Armed with a vacuum cleaner, container dragging behind them, they returned to the stage, stepping up to the box. There was a clear line where the crate scraped across the floor, stirring up dust and ripping up some of the worn nails. John cleared his throat, rubbing his nose.

"Probably, just dad or mom or something and we didn't see 'em," he offered.

"And they didn't say anything?" whimpered Jasper, holding tightly to the vacuum's handle. "Mom's usually yells at us for teasing Dani, and Dad would at least say something'. I don't think it was them, man."

"What? You think it was a ghost?" snapped John, snatching the handle from Jasper. "There's no such thing as ghosts! Dad said so."

"But what if dad is wrong? Mom says he's wrong all the time."

"What would she know?"

John kicked the crate which barely budged. Angered by its inactivity, he kicked it again, much harder, but again it failed to move. Jasper chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand. John growled, glaring at him. There was a minor height and weight difference between them, with John being taller and Jasper being heavier, not in an overweight sense. While Jasper was stronger, John was ruthless in his attacks and would fight dirty before he lost honorably. John used his position as the eldest child to his advantage.

"I'm in charge," pronounced John, hand pressed to his chest. "I say there's no such thing as ghosts!"

Jasper rolled his eyes but nodded. John grinned, standing over the box again. Since kicking it failed, he began pushed with his shoulder against the wood and feet scraping along. Again, the box proved immoveable. Jasper shrugged, stepping up beside and helping. The box remained unmoved. John began shouting, kicking the box furiously while Jasper watched.

The Phantom stood on the other side of the box, one foot holding it in place. It was obvious neither boy saw him otherwise their anger would not be placed on the poor abused box. Nonetheless, after watching the boys taunt Dani, this was mildly entertaining karma. It was clear, John was making every attempt to curse but, having lacked the vocabulary, was merely making nonsensical shouting. Jasper eventually tried to calm him but soon the two began brawling, completely forgetting the reason they came up here to begin with.


	5. V

Chapter V

It probably wasn't best to let her sons pick the temporary bedroom, as they picked a rather darkened place. The stain glass window was beautiful though, and with some cleaning, will be more beautiful than it had been in ages. After dusting and scaring away most of the spiders, the art on the walls began showing. Wonderful paintings that were almost too detailed for her children. Luckily, age and dust covered the important parts. As night descended, the room was barely lit with candle light.

Belle tucked her children in order: John, Jasper, Dani. John protested that he was too old for his mother tucking him in. Jasper mimicked John's response. Nonetheless, Belle kissed them on the head and tucked the blankets around their bodies. She reached Dani at the end of the line, closest to the window. The little girl wiggled under her blankets, smiling as she peeked out from the covers. Belle smiled, kneeling beside her, tickling the wiggling lump. Dani laughed loudly.

"Now, now," Belle purred, pulling the covers away to reveal Dani's smile, "It's time for bed, sweetie."

"Mom," Dani hummed, pulling the covers back to her chin. "Do you hear the singing?"

Belle paused. The room was silent, aside from her husband's snoring. She envied his ability to fall asleep whenever and wherever. He probably had a longer day then she did anyway. Still, it was mostly silent. Though Dani was still smiling, Belle could tell the little girl was serious. Belle offered a soft smile and nodded.

"It is nice song?" Belle offered, avoiding the question.

"It is," grinned Dani, wiggling in her blankets again.

Belle began tucking the blanket around her. With Dani carefully snuggled into the blanket, Belle gently brushed hair out from Dani's face. She had thought a lot about her daughter's birthmark. While the little girl didn't mind at the moment, there was a chance it would affect her life one day, like it did today. It was large, starting from her eyebrow moving down to the corner of her lip, stretching from her ear to the one side of her nose. It was blotchy, red and purple in color, and oddly shaped. For the most part, Dani's hair length covered it. Lying down, her hair was unable to hide it.

"Mom?"

Belle snapped out of it, returning to patting Dani down to prepare for bed. Dani's smile had faded lightly as she looked over at the window. It was beginning to rain, filtered through the stain glass. Belle sighed, nodding lightly.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No! Why would you even think that!"

"We left the nail place today," whimpered Dani, ducking under the covers.

Belle gently pulled the covers away, kissing her daughter on the head.

"You did nothing wrong. Those people weren't very nice," Belle explained. "Don't worry about that."

Dani smiled. Belle patted her chest, getting up. Dani watched as her mother walked to the other side of the room, closer to the door, and blew out the candle. The light dissipated quickly, leaving the only illumination coming from the window, which wasn't much. Dani assured herself she was a big girl though, and that nothing in the dark was wrong. There was no such thing are monsters, and least that's what her dad always said.

A soft voice began singing. The melody moved through the room, dancing over the archways and eventually landed upon Dani. She looked around, sitting up. The music was beautiful, nothing like her mother's singing. It was majestic. Dani looked over at her family. They were all asleep. Could they not hear the singing?

Dani slowly slipped free from her covers. In the light of the stain glass, a pale woman sat on the sill, fingers gently moving down the window. She was dressed in a lovely white dress that flowed down the concrete, draping over her feet and making it seem like she was floating. Her dark, curly hair was pulled into a braid, gracefully falling over her shoulder and down her back. Her eyes, glassy and shining, looked out at the fogging glass. Her mouth moved softly as the melodious words were breathed to life.

 _"Sing for you the wrong companions…You were warm and gentle…"_

Dani stepped over her bunched up covers, silently moving over to the woman. She seemed oblivious to the little girl as she sang. Dani knelt beside the woman, listening intently to the lyrics, though they had no meaning to her. The song was soft and heartfelt, sung in a way Dani had never quite heard before they had moved. Since they started living here though, she'd heard the song every night. This was the first time she'd seen the singer.

 _"Too many years fighting back tears…why can't the past just die…"_

"Miss?"

The song stopped abruptly as the woman looked down at Dani. Her startled expression melted to a sweet smile as she shuffled her body and dress to face the little girl. Dani smiled too. The woman's eyes seemed to be filled with more life than when she was singing.

"Why, hello little one." Her voice still sounded like a song, echoing off the walls into the cold night air. "Were you listening?"

"Yes," Dani nodded. "You sing really pretty."

"Thank you."

"Mommy used to sing to me, but she got busy and stopped," Dani explained, glancing back at her mother sound asleep. "But…she wasn't very good."

The woman giggled, hand over her mouth. Dani popped up, standing with her hands on her hips. With a confident nod, she rushed over and grabbed Marcy from beside her pillow. She rushed back over to the woman, sitting beside her next to the window.

"This is Marcy!" cheered Dani. Her eyes widened, and she looked back at her family. She turned back to the woman, head lowered slightly. "This is Marcy," she whispered.

"It's nice to meet you, Marcy," the woman replied softly, "but what is your name, sweetie?"

"Dani. It's short for Danielle but nobody really calls me that," she huffed, clutching Marcy close to her chest.

There was a loud snore that tore through the silence. It made Dani jump to her feet and glance back at her family. Her brothers had somehow bumped into each other, legs and arms entangled as the two snored loudly. Alongside them was her father, who was also snoring loudly. Her mother was soundlessly asleep, curled up in her makeshift bed. She seemed unfazed by her family's snoring.

"Maybe you should sleep, sweetie," the woman hummed. "It is awfully late."

"But what's your name?" perked Dani, puffing her checks up in a huff.

"My name is Christine."

Dani nodded, smiling lightly, before going back to her bed. She pulled the covers over herself, tucking her chin under it. She peered over at the woman. Christine was looking back out the window, eyes returning to a glassy state. There was a soft pattering, like the beginning of rain.

"Are you gonna keep singing?" Dani whispered, pulling Marcy in close.

Christine turned back to her. With a sigh, she smiled, nodding lightly. Dani grinned brightly, again shuffling in her sheets. Christine turned back to the window, shutting her eyes. Dani felt her eyelids slowly close as Christine took in a breath and began to sing again. She felt her body relax, and her bed became warm around her. The night came around her. With a yawn, Dani shut her eyes. Listening to Christine's song, she drifted to sleep.


	6. VI

Chapter VI

Marc grumbled, wiping grease off his forehead. He'd been working on the curtain system. At some point, a previous owner had attempted to modernize the system from the standard pull rope to an automatic chain controlled by a switch. The chains were old, rusting, and entire machine needed cleaning and general overhaul. He wasn't much for replacing the original pull system.

"Belle!"

Marc entered the lobby, tracking some dirt into the newly cleaned floors. He found his wife at the main door, cleaning the glass and wood. She was beautiful, he thought fondly. Her hair pulled up into a bun, dressed in a little apron and short sleeved shirt. He chuckled, coming over to the door and catching her attention. She walked over to him, hugging him tightly. He kissed her on the cheek.

"How's it going, my strong man?" she purred.

"I think it'll run," he hummed, pulling her in by the waist. "Ready for lunch?"

"Tilly and Dani are making sandwiches."

Marc groaned, stepping away. He wasn't a big fan of Tilly, but she made Belle happy. Arm wrapped around her waist, Marc escorted Belle into the kitchen, where they found Tilly setting a bag of chips beside a stack of sandwiches and Dani sitting on the floor, coloring. Belle knelt beside Dani, brushing her hair aside and looking down at her daughter's art. Meanwhile, Marc went over to the counter and took a sandwich off the top of the stack. Tilly rolled her eyes but shrugged it off.

"Whatcha doin' today, Marc?" chirped Tilly, stepping over to Belle. "You look like you've been busy."

"Thanks, Tilly," grumbled Marc, taking a large bite from the sandwich. "Got the curtains working again."

"You tell the boys?" perked Tilly, taking a seat.

"Oh, no," chuckled Belle, resting a hand on Tilly's shoulder. "Can you imagine? Those boys opening and closing that thing with a flip of a switch?"

Marc groaned loudly, scarfing the rest of the sandwich. He began digging into the bag of chips. Tilly looked over at Belle and down at Dani. She perked, leaning forward to get a better look at what the little girl was drawing. In typical childhood fashion, it wasn't well done but it was clearly a man dressed in black. It looked ominously familiar.

"Whatcha drawin' there, kid?" hummed Tilly, glancing at Belle to catch the mother's attention.

"It's my friend," the child answered with a nod.

"Your friend?" perked Belle, kneeling beside her daughter again.

"Yeah," grinned Dani, looking up. "Mr. Phantom."

Marc stopped, hand halfway in the chip bag. Belle glanced at him, feeling his eyes narrow at them. She placed an arm around her girl, looking clearly at the picture. The poorly drawn man stood on a crudely drawn stage, beside what could only be described as Dani, dressed entirely in black of different strengths. His face was half colored.

"Are you still coloring him?" whispered Belle.

"No," Dani mumbled, looking up curiously.

"Why's his face like that?" gaped Tilly, pointing at the art.

"What does it matter?" huffed Marc, storming over. "It's just an imaginary friend."

"Marcus!" snapped Belle.

"He's wearing a mask," Dani explained, turning to Tilly.

"A…half mask?" whispered Tilly, sitting up straight.

"Tilly?" Belle hummed, glancing back at her.

"Dani, why don't you get your brothers," ordered Marc, pointing toward the door.

Dani looked between the three adults before getting up and leaving. Belle reached for the drawing, but Marc grabbed it first. Belle stood up, hands on her hip. Marc crumpled the image, throwing it in the trash.

"You can't just do that!" gasped Belle, storming to the can and removing the paper. "She worked hard on that."

"She's a kid. She'll make another one…one that'll make better sense," he snapped. "Where'd she even learn that word? Phantom? Ha!"

"Marcus…"

"Ever heard of the Phantom of the Opera?"

Marc and Belle looked over at Tilly. She was seated patiently, staring out the window, eyes seeming somewhat glassy and distant in thought. Marc scoffed, throwing his hands up. Belle shook her head, slowly unwrapping the paper.

"Phantom of the Opera? Oh please," hissed Marc, leaning against the counter. "More ghost stories. We've heard them all when getting this place."

"Oh, he wasn't a ghost," Tilly argued, turning back to them. "Real dude. Lots of people saw him back in the 1870s…killed people, practically burned this place down! No rumors, this happened!"

"Yeah, right," yawned Marc.

Belle finished unwrapping the image, staring at the crudely drawn man.

"I had family there that saw him," Tilly continued. "After years, people were sure he was dead but you know what they say…restless spirits and all that. My nan used to say she saw him last time she visited this place."

"And he…" Belle whispered.

"Dressed in black and wearing a half mask," nodded Tilly, leaning forward. "My nan used to tell me stories about how she saw him, as a ghost, here when she was little. He stood over her and scared her half to death. She said it was the scariest moment of her life…"

"Oh please!" shouted Marc. "Ghosts? Phantoms? There are no such thing!"

"Marcus, please…" whimpered Belle, holding out the image.

Marc took the paper, this time tearing it to pieces before tossing it in the trash. He threw his hands up again before storming out of the room. Belle slowly turned back to Tilly, eyes lowered. Tilly shook her head, getting to her feet, and embracing Belle.

"Are you sure?" Belle whispered into her ear.

"I'll talk to my Nan."

"What do I do?"

Tilly stepped back, smiling.

"She's a kid, play along for a bit but try to get her focused on, ya know, real things," Tilly offered.

Belle sighed, nodding. It took a moment but she eventually smiled. Tilly patted her friend's shoulders and nodded. It was probably nothing.


	7. VII

Chapter VII

Dani held the broom handle with two hands, eyes focused on the floorboards of the stage. She'd sway the broom back and forth, watching the dirt and dust spin the air and settle on the ground, having moved nowhere. She puffed her cheeks, pouting, but refused to give up on her mission. Pressing the broom a little harder against the floor, she scraped the bristles along, dragging some old nails and dirt along. She watched as she led them to the pile. Pausing a moment, she quickly pulled the broom away and again the dust and dirt sputtered in the air. She threw the broom down with a loud crash.

"Temper is unbecoming of a lady."

Dani looked up, seeing the Phantom standing beside the fallen handle. She blushed, covering her face and trotting quickly toward the stage edge. The Phantom watched as she pulled out a rag and began rubbing the small metal shells around the stage lights. With each rub, the old golden color shined a little brighter.

"You shouldn't give up on it," he offered, gesturing to the fallen broom.

Dani lowered her head, biting her lip and scrubbing harder. The Phantom tilted his head slightly, stepping away from the dirt pile and kneeling beside her. She glanced at him, still bright faced, before getting up and moving around him to the next light. The Phantom clenched his fist but released it with a deep sigh as he turned back to her.

"Did I do something wrong?" he whispered, lowering his head to try to meet her gaze again. "Was it what I said?"

Dani sat up, patting her hands on her knees. She puffed up her cheeks again, shaking her head. The Phantom nodded lightly, looking away. She took a deep breath, gently rubbing the golden shell again, barely mixing the dust around. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, stopping again. He watched her quickly look from side to side and over the edge of the stage into the orchestra pit. Once she saw no one around, she scooted so she was facing him. She leaned in, cupping her hands over her mouth. He leaned in, turning his ear to her.

"I was told not to talk to you," she spoke hushed, barely heard. The Phantom nodded.

"Who told you that?" he responded, pulling away slightly.

"Mommy and daddy," she nodded, returning to her chore.

"Why would they do that?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, "I was drawing you a picture and daddy got all upset."

The Phantom leaned back, nearly standing up. His mouth hung open to speak but found himself without the words. She was going to make something for him. In all his years, no one had ever thought or done such a thing that he could recall. He couldn't form the words to thank her or say something about the consideration. She didn't seem to notice his dilemma.

"I think it upset miss Tilly…" she added quietly.

"Who?"

"Miss Tilly," she repeated with a gruff nod. "Mommy's friend. Miss Tilly is nice and sometimes brings me cool things."

"I see."

Dani stopped again, looking over the Phantom again.

"Do you know the singing lady?"

The Phantom opened his mouth to speak again but couldn't narrow his thoughts down to say he had a faint idea about who Dani was referencing. He'd wandered these halls for a while so he knew a few of the other wandering spirits, on the rare occasions that they would reveal themselves.

"Does she sing to you?" he managed to murmur softly.

"Yes."

"Do you know her name?"

"Christine."

The Phantom felt a force inside him, it rippled through him and he could feel its power move across the stage, ruffling the curtains and spinning the dust into the air again. The little girl seemed oblivious to this dark tension that fell upon the area, simply scrubbing at the little shell. She even smiled as she worked, eyes glittering with childlike wonder. Her inner thoughts apparently have moved along.

"Tell her…I said hello," his voice shuddered and for a moment he wondered if it fell upon deaf ears, but, the girl looked up at him and nodded.

"Okay!" she cheered.

He smiled, but the force within him still burned.


	8. VIII

Chapter VIII

Belle had tried to break the habit of biting her nails. It was a nasty habit she'd had since she was little. She worked hard to overcome it, but every now and then when she got overwhelmed and truly worried, she would return to this practice. Watching Dani running around in the main theater, where the chairs once stood. She spun and sang, chanting and spoke to something Belle could not see. She tried to ease her mind, thinking perhaps her youngest was talking with her doll, but she was familiar with the typical conversations Dani held with Marcy and these weren't the normal topics.

"Hey."

Belle ripped her nail as she pulled her thumb away to look at Tilly. Her friend placed a hand on her shoulder, offering a soft nod. They watched Dani fall from spinning around too much but eventually bursts into laughter. She turned toward the stage and continued the conversation she was having with the unseen individual. Belle promptly returned her nail to her mouth. Tilly tightened her grip on Belle's shoulder.

"You know, my grandma goes to a physic…I bet we could do a séance and talk to it?" Tilly offered, chuckling lightly.

"Marc would never…" Belle whispered.

"Forget Marc," scoffed Tilly, stepping away. "Or…we could just go talk to Dani about it?"

"Tilly, wait!" gasped Belle, reaching out as Tilly walked up to Dani.

The little girl looked up as Tilly ruffled her hair. Tilly listened to Dani's greeting, carefully looking around for the mysterious other half of the conversation. No one. Tilly sat beside Dani, smiling and trying to make it not seem forced.

"Whatcha up to, kid?" grinned Tilly, leaning back slightly.

"Acting," Dani spoke, raising a hand to her forehead as she batted her eyes.

"No way," Tilly mocked, waving a hand. "Acting for who? Marcy?"

Tilly pointed at the small doll that was rested carefully on the edge of the stage, legs dangling over the orchestra pit. Dani looked up Tilly, eyes widened. Tilly watched as Dani stared at the stage, at something past Marcy. After a moment of silence, she turned back to Tilly and smiled.

"Yeah…"

Tilly raised an eyebrow, pursing her lips. Dani giggled, covering her mouth.

"C'mon, you can tell me," Tilly winked, leaning in. "I won't tell."

Dani's eyes widened again, glancing at the stage once more before leaning into tilly's ear.

"Promise?"

Tilly nodded.

"Mr. Phantom always claps when I act and dance," she smiled lightly. "I know…I know I'm not supposed to talk to him anymore but…he seems lonely."

"Yeah?" Tilly spoke softly, eyes looking gently to the stage.

"He…he's nice, I promise!" Dani gasped. "He can sing and act too! He's really nice! Mr. Phantom won't…"

"Danielle!"

Belle turned around to see Marcus in the doorway, glaring down the center row at the little girl. Belle stepped out, trying to stop her husband before he reached their daughter, but was quickly brushed aside. Tilly stood up, standing in front of Dani. The little girl hugged onto the adult's leg.

"I will not tolerate this behavior!" he shouted, reaching out for her arm.

Phantom watched the fear of everyone's face. Everything seemed to slow down as Marcus reached down for his daughter. Belle's hair wrapped around her face as she rushed forward, reaching out for her husband's shirt. Her fingers brushed the fabric but failed to grasp, allowing the man to continue forward. Tilly stepped forward, arms out to force a stop. Dani stepped back, unknowingly standing at the base of Phantom. Instinctually, he moved his hand to the young girl's shoulder but stopped just above them. Marcus grabbed onto Tilly's wrist. They were shouting, but the words seemed unimportant. Dani shuddered.

"Out of my way," snarled Marcus, dragging Tilly aside.

Belle called out, catching her friend before she fell. Dani's shuddering was worsening, falling heavy with each breath as her father approached. Phantom looked down upon the child. She sniffled. His hand finally fell upon her shoulder, tightening around it, unintentionally drawing the girl's attention.

 _"_ _Enough!"_

His voice vibrated off the walls, igniting each light. Marcus froze, seeing the stage light up with blinding power. The curtain's mechanism activated, closing the curtains with screeching pain. The lights, glowing beyond their limit, began to burst, shattering glass across the stage and audience floor. Belle and Tilly gasped, lowering their heads and shielding their eyes from the falling glass. Within moments, they went from being bathed in blinding light to cowering in darkness. The only light was the single functional spotlight remaining on the center stage, illuminating the part in the now closed curtain.

"Mo-m!" wailed Dani, releasing a wave of tears.

"Dani!" gasped Belle, leaping to her feet and rushing forward.

Tilly lifted her head, watching Belle shove pass Marcus and fall to her knees to grasp her child. Belle wrapped her arms Dani, drawing her in close and caressing her hair. Marcus stood frozen, staring at the stage, hands at his side. Tilly slowly got to her feet, looking around at the damage. The floor was littered in former light bulbs. Each step seemed to crunch as the glass cracked more under her pressure.

"Marc…" mumbled Tilly, placing a hand softly on the man's shoulder. He didn't move. "I think…this is a different kind of problem…"

"What just…" he muttered, shaking his head. "My God…"

Belle picked up Dani, still holding her close. The child wheezed through trembling sobs, head buried in her mother's chest. The mother looked up, glaring at her husband. Marcus opened his mouth as if to speak but nothing came out but a shallow breath. The room's door was kicked open, showering another beam of light into the room. John and Jasper peered in.

"We can't stay here…" huffed Belle, storming pass Marcus. "I'm taking the kids to a hotel. You're free to join us…"

"Belle…" he whispered, turning around.

Tilly had taken the boys' hands, leading them away. Belle stood in the doorway, looking back at him. He could see the fire in her eyes. There was no arguing with her, not right now, but then again, he didn't have anything to argue about. She was right. She typically is.


	9. IX

Chapter IX

Dani was young but not stupid. As she looked between the adults while they tried to argue without alerting the children, she knew something was wrong, and she knew she was at least part of the problem. The other part was her friend. She wanted to fix this, but without losing her new friends or further upsetting her parents. Pleasing everyone seemed so easy before moving.

 _"_ _Ah, here comes that cute little Pink Ranger to the rescue…"_

Dani groaned, covering her head with a pillow. John snickered, turning up the volume on the television. Jasper looked over as Dani further buried herself into the bed. He wasn't sure why she was burying herself in do deep or why they were staying in a hotel for the last day or so. All he knew was that there was a loud crash from the main room, peered into the darkness, and was quickly brisk away to the hotel with his mother. Since then, his mother and father have hardly spoken a word until Tilly came back the next morning.

"Hey, John," whispered Jasper, turning to his brother. "What do you think they're talkin' about?"

John reared his head, peering out the window. Belle looked like she hadn't slept, eyes red and puffy from crying. Her mouth was open, voice muffled by the walls. Marcus also was talking, apparently over her, as his arms were waving. Tilly mediated between them, trying to calm them with soft expressions and gentle motions.

"No idea," he shrugged, relaxing as he turned back to the screen. "Dani probably broke somethin' again."

"Hey!" shouted Dani, popping out from under her covers. "I didn't break anything!"

"Yes, you did," snapped John, turning around to stick his tongue out at her. "You always ruin everything."

"Do not!" howled Dani, standing on the bed and swaying slightly. "The lights exploded by themselves!"

"Did not!

"Did too!"

"Liar, liar, pants on fire!"

"Am not!"

John pulled the pillow out from under him, throwing it at the bouncing Dani, knocking her back onto the bed. She muffled a scream, throwing the pillow back. John caught it, cackling. Jasper rolled his eyes, returning his attention back to the television. The sound of Power Rangers was not powerful enough to overcome the conflict between John and Dani behind him. He groaned, turning up the volume.

Belle peered in the window, watching as Dani jumped up and bringing down the pillow hard on John's head. The brother proceeded to tackle her. Belle sighed, turning back to Marcus and Tilly. They were finally silent, stewing in their anger and emotion. Tilly wearily looked between them.

"So, it's decided?" she sighed. "I'll bring Madame Margret over this afternoon to talk…"

"Fine," snarled Marcus, avoiding eye contact.

"Agreed," whispered Belle, crossing her arms. "What are we doing with the kids?"

"Madame Margret might want to talk to Dani…since she's the one who's been interacting with him," Tilly nodded. "Dani's…kinda the key to all of this."

Right," Belle choked, rubbing her eyes. "I'll bring the kids. Can't leave John and Jasper alone."

"I can't believe we're doing this," grumbled Marcus, shaking his head. "A séance…in my own home."

"It's the best we've got," sighed Tilly, placing a hand on Marcus' shoulder. "This is for the best."

The day flew by in a blur. Belle barely remembered it, spending most of the time sitting and staring vacantly at her children. Playing, laughing, distracted by the television, they were still full of life and oblivious to what was happening outside these four walls. Tonight, would they even understand what was going on? Even when the time came to take them back to the Opera Populaire, the kids seemed oblivious to the reason they had stayed away from it until this point. Expect Dani. She was aware, Belle reminded herself occasionally. She was aware something was wrong but did she really grasp the magnitude of what was happening?

The doors seemed bigger, the rooms larger, as they entered. Her hands shook as she unlocked the doors. Marcus shuffled behind them, head down and silent. Standing in the foyer, the silence felt deafening, suffocating. Dani held close to Belle, but it took effort to keep the boys from running off. They didn't know. Nearing dusk, Tilly finally arrived with Madame Margret.

"Sorry," sighed Tilly. "Took some time to try and explain the situation."

"What's there to explain?" snapped Marcus. "Isn't she a psychic? Should she already know?"

"Marcus, stop," ordered Belle.

"It's fine…I'm used to skeptics," remarked Madame Margret, waving a hand. "I'm just glad to be of any assistance."

Dani looked over the woman. She was tall, slender, dressed in what looked like an old, hand-me-down, purple dress with a golden shined necklace and earrings. She carried a large bag which looked like a bunch of torn rags stitched together. Her curly hair bunched into a ball around her head, bobbing and swaying with the slightest movement. Her eyes were bright, shining with a light that made Dani grin.

"Shall we get started?"


	10. X

Chapter X

Margret set up a round table on the center stage. It had taken time to sweep up the glass and force the curtains open, but they had managed to complete things enough to get the table set up. They threw an old red table cloth across it. It didn't even reach the floor. They carefully lit each candle along the stage edge and the candelabra at the table's center. Seven chairs were placed around the table for each person, a number which was argued for a while. It was hesitantly decided that the children would stay.

"So, what exactly are we doing here, anyway?" grumbled Marcus, sitting first.

"We are to commune with the spirits in this place," hummed Margret, opening a large book. "We want to remain subtle, only communing with the awoken spirits without alerting the still slumbering ones."

"You talk weird," remarked John, sitting beside his father.

"John!" snapped Belle.

"What do you mean still slumbering ones?" commented Marcus. "How many 'spirits' are here?"

"Hard to say," she replied. "We'd rather keep the problem to the one, yes?"

Jasper sat on the other side of his father. Dani sat between Belle and Margret. Tilly sat between Jasper and Margret. After the chairs had finished shuffling, silence began falling. Margret looked over her book a moment before raising her head to look to Dani. The little one rested her hands on the table, legs kicking off the ledge of the chair.

"My dear," Margret hummed, "I've heard you've made an interesting friend recently."

Dani lowered her eyes, avoiding the stares of everyone. Belle moves her hand atop her daughter's, gently rubbing it. She offered the girl a soft nod.

"Yes…"

"What's his name?"

"Mr. Phantom."

"Is he the only friend you've made?"

Dani perked, turning to stare at Margret. Belle removed her hand. Margret nodded softly, patting the child's hand.

"It's okay," she spoke. "You're not in trouble. I just want to be sure."

Dani glanced at her mother, then her father, before turning back to Margret. After a moment's pause, she nodded, lowering her gaze again. Her kicking feet stopped.

"What's their name?"

"Christine."

"That's lovely," nodded Margret, sitting up. "Has there been any other new friends?"

Silence.

"Then let us begin. We will try to summon one of these beings. All join hands, shut your eyes, and focus on my voice."

The candle lights flickered slightly as everyone shuffled to hold hands. The boys objected originally but eventually held their neighbor's hand. Margaret tilted her head back, eyes shut and breathing soft.

"I seek protection and sound my alarm. May body, mind and spirit be safe from harm. My aura a shield to help me stay strong. I block negativity and all that is wrong," Margaret hummed.

Marc rolled his eyes and shook his head before Belle sent him a glare. He shut his eyes again. Belle nodded lightly, shutting her eyes as well.

"Guardians of the Spirit realm, hear and guide my plea," cooed Margaret. "when the witching hour rings true, bring my friend Christine to me. Other souls who hear my call are not welcome in this place. Only the one known as Christine may enter sacred space."

Dani opened one eyes to look around. There seemed to be a slight breeze floating by, brushing the candles' flames and swaying Margaret's hair around her, stray strands frizzing out. She continued repeating her chant, beckoning Christine appear in some way or form Dani waited, looking around for her friend. After a moment, Marc opened his eyes as well.

"This is stupid," he huffed.

"Marcus, be quiet," hushed Belle.

"This is a sham," he snapped.

"Be patient," instructed Margaret, lowering her head to look between Belle and Marcus. "It can take time for the message to reach the other side."

"And sometimes the voice that calls is so soft…"

Eyes fell on the center of the table where a lovely woman now sat. She had her legs bent to one side, an arm propping her up. Her long-curled hair draped over one shoulder. Her lovely white dress hung off her shoulders and revealed a small portion of her chest. Her eyes softly looked between each member of the group, falling lastly on Dani accompanied with a soft smile. Dani smiled lightly.

"Hello, spirit," greeted Margaret, "I am sorry for disturbing you and thank you joining us."

"It is no disruption," Christine replied. "I am happy to meet you all, and I'm happy to see you again, my child."

"Hi," whispered Dani.

"We have questions if we may," offered Margaret. "Are you the only spirit here?"

"No."

"Who else is here with you?"

Christine looked over her shoulder into the shadows of curtains, seeing her once angel music lurk. He watched her and the group, eyes drifting between her and child farthest from him. Dani peered around her, seeing him as well.

"The Phantom of the Opera," Christine said softly, turning her attention back to the group. "My Angel of Music. The unseen revenant."

"Do you see him?" whispered Margaret to Dani.

She turned to her mother and then to Margaret, nodding.

"What holds you here, spirit? What holds him?" Margaret called out.

The Phantom furled his cape, disappearing into the shadows. Dani looked away. Christine shook her head.

"I spent much my life here and him more so," she hummed. "I am here for him and he…doesn't know why. He lingers because in life he was lost and now more so."

"What's she saying?" mumbled John.

"Shut up," snapped Jasper, jabbing him with his elbow.

"We are not alone here," Christine perked. "We are merely the one's aware of our fate, aware of you. For the most part, we go about our way, avoiding life. He makes only one exception." Christine tilted her head, looking to Dani. "Her. The only one who sought him with no fear in her eyes or malice in her soul. She saw no difference and held no pity. She liked him truly and was kind to him as only a child can."

"A child doesn't know better," huffed Marc. "She is talking with a known criminal and murderer."

"Marcus!" hissed Belle.

"I want him gone. I want her gone!" ordered Marc, pointing at Christine.

"Please, do not break the circle!" gasped Margaret.

"Don't you have some sort of banishing spell? Some make believe magic garbage that will get rid of these things?" he shouted, slamming his hands on the table. "We called you to get rid of them, not to socialize with them like some tea party."

"Marcus, please. Behave!" directed Belle.

The breeze picked up slightly.

"Give me that," Marc grumbled, snatching the open book from under Margaret. She reached out but failed to stop him.

"No, you don't know what you're messing with!" gasped Margaret.

"This can't be that hard," mumbled Marc, flipping through the pages. "Spirits show yourself. Spirits reveal. Spirits come to me so I know you are real? What is this nonsense?"

"No!"

There was a loud echoing of piano keys, followed by the sweeping wind from an unknown source. The candles went out and curtains billowed. Everyone leapt to their feet as Christine faded. Peering down into the pit in front of the stage's edge, they found it filled with smartly dressed musicians, wielding their instruments and playing vigorously. Before them stood a conductor, swinging his arms and instructing the band to play. The music swelled, growing louder.

"What in the world!" shouted Marc.

"You fool," hissed Margaret, snatching the book. "You have awoken what was sleeping."

"This is your fault," argued Marc, pointing. "If you had done what we'd hired you for, this wouldn't have happened!"

"Foolish nonbeliever," huffed Margaret, flipping through the book. She paused, raising her hand into the air. "This is not your place, spirits; it is time for you to move on!"

The music continued to play. Margaret snarled, flipping through the book again. Belle held onto Dani, dragging her around the side of the table to stand beside her siblings. Tilly sat back down, watching the band play on. The music was growing louder. Margaret again raised her hand.

"Any unwanted spirits and entities, please leave now. Any evil or negative energies or presences, please leave! You don't belong here. I am sending you home. Go back whence you came! Please leave now! Only light and healing energy is allowed in this room! Thank you…"

The music seemed to calm, slowly fading. The band seemed unfazed by her chanting, continuing mindlessly. Belle clung to her children, huddling them together around her. John and Jasper clung to her legs. Dani peered through her mother's hands, looking around. She could see more. Not only the band playing but the wandering people in the audience, several sitting in imaginary chairs, some walking behind the stage. They were everywhere now.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, may the wind blow you, wandering ghost and clear the world of the living! Turn you to where you belong and may you disappear without a trace!"

The conductor turned, looking to the group. His eyes were blank, empty sockets staring at them. Belle went to cover Dani's eyes but found the girl had left her protection. Spinning around, she spotted Dani wandering into the back of the stage. The little girl peered upward at the scaffolding at more wandering spirits.

"Danielle!" cried Belle, reaching out.

Dani looked over her shoulder, seeing her mother near tears. The music swelled again, as if anticipating something unseen. Without warning, Dani felt someone wrap around her, tackling her, and shoving her out of the way. As soon of her and other's body rested, something came crashing to the ground. Dani finally moved her gaze, peering upward at her rescuer. It was the Phantom. He looked over his shoulder at the fallen catwalk. Her black cloak wrapped around her small body, clothing her in darkness.

"Mr. Phantom," whispered Dani, slowly looking over to her mother.

Belle covered her mouth, eyes welled with tears. She left John and Jasper, walking over to her daughter and rescuer. She fell to her knees just short of them. Her breathing was labored as she held out her arms.

"Dani…" she sniffled.

The Phantom stood up, releasing Dani from his cloak. She looked up at him as he quickly disappeared back into the curtain's shadow. Dani got to her feet carefully, running to her mother. They embraced in a long hug, and Dani could feel her mother's tears on her shirt. The hug tightened. Dani looked over her shoulder, watching the curtains sway.

A/N

This is a changing point for the story. Things might get a little more...detailed if you get what I mean. Just a heads up, if the eyeless conductor wasn't an obvious hint.


	11. XI

XI

Marcus sat, watching his wife hurry back and forth. He didn't know what to say or if there was anything worth saying. Sorry clearly wasn't going to calm the situation, if anything, it would make it incredibly worse. He'd never seen his wife so anxious, face stained with tears he'd only seen this bad when John had gotten sick as a child. She frantically packed away clothes and things, mumbling to herself, and Marcus watched, speechless.

Dani stood in the doorway, watching her parents act in ways she had never seen before: her father silent and her mother moving around unnaturally. She didn't know what to say or do, so she watched, thinking this was her fault. If she had done what they asked and stopped talking with Mr. Phantom…maybe none of this would have happened. She gave a deep sigh before marching off. The entire house seemed different now, darker.

"Hello?" she whispered out into the halls. "Is anybody there?"

Was the silence worse than a response? She was hoping John or Jasper would sneak up on her and scare her but they'd been surprisingly quiet as of late. They couldn't be scared. They're big; they aren't scared of anything, Dani thought fondly, then again, mommy and daddy weren't supposed to be scared of anything either and yet…here they were.

"Mr. Phantom?"

She watched the shadows shift inexplicably, as they did when the Phantom made appearances, but they didn't part to reveal him. Instead, around the corner emerged a woman. She was tall, dressed in black with braided hair that hung over her shoulder. Her face was pale, making her green eyes and red lipstick brighter. She approached slowly, dragging one leg. She moved toward Dani gradually, a gentle smile growing across her faith.

"Are you lost, child?" her voice trembled like a doll with a broken voice box.

"No…"

"It's alright, little one," she hummed, kneeling in front of her. She held out a hand, hovering it over Dani's cheek. "I can…help you…"

The woman's face seemed to grow paler, skin growing tighter to her bones and yet her eyes and lips remained bright against her. Dani could see her reflection the woman's eyes. There seemed no light, a feeling of draining will. Dani took a few steps back.

"I'm…not allowed…to talk to strangers," muttered Dani.

"I'm no stranger, little one. You may call me Madame Giry." The woman's hand shuttered, still outreached and caressing the air where Dani once stood. "I run this home. I look after…little girls, just…like…you…"

"Mommy looks after me!"

The woman's face seemed to twitch slightly as it looked across Dani's face. Again, her skin grew tighter to her bones, lip twitching. Suddenly, her arm shot out and gripping Dani's wrist. Dani let out a small gasp, pulling back slightly. Madame Giry stood up, dragging Dani closer. Her grip was tight and growing tighter as Giry began moving down the hall. Dani struggled, pulling at her restraints.

"Let go!" shouted Dani.

The woman seemed locked in her trance, moving forward without words or thought. Dani gripped the hand around her wrist, her small fingers struggling to find traction.

"Mommy! Daddy! Mr. Phantom! Stop! Stop! You're hurting me!"

Dani kicked and screamed, but nothing was unable to undo the grip. The halls grew dimmer as they walked as if the light was being drained. Dani felt her wrist numb from the pain, throat run dry from shouting, and eyes red from crying. She didn't know where they were going or what this woman was planning.

"Please…please…" whimpered Dani.

"Don't cry child…it will all be over soon…then I can take care of you…forever…"

Dani watched as the woman's head twitched as it swiveled around to face her. Skin fully sunken into the bone, all that remained of her once vibrant beauty was that of her full lips and fully revealed eyes. Dani screamed with all her might, pulling back with all her force. The woman continued forward.

There was a switch tug, ripping Dani free. She continued to scream, crying out as Madame Giry continued aimlessly down the hall, vanishing from sight. Dani's voice shuddered as she buried her face into the chest of her rescuer. Her tears darkened the purple gown as Madame Margret held her close, cooing softly in an attempt to calm the child. Dani clung to her, hands tightening around the cloth.

"I know, I know," whispered Margret, looking around.

The lights were slowly returning to life, brightening the hall. Margret looked briefly down at the girl, gently brushing her hair aside as it became tangled in her tears. Lifting her head, Margret met the gaze of the Phantom. Her heart struggled to beat as he knelt before her. He was dressed in pure darkness, face distinguished by the half mask. His bright eyes stared at her a moment before a hand dug into his cloak, pulling from within the small rag doll known as Marcy.

"Danielle."

His voice was softer than Margret had thought. Dani raised her head, looking up at the man. He moved carefully, gently placing the doll in her arms. Dani's arms wrapped around it, eyes still focused on him. Margret watched the faintest smile twitch across his lip before snapping back to his cold expression, eyes quickly glaring back to meet hers. After a moment of glaring, he turned softly back to Dani.

"Phantom…of the Opera…" whispered Margret.

"She…she was gonna…" stuttered Dani, snuggling her doll and looking to the Phantom.

"Shush, now," hushed the Phantom, placing a hand on her head. "Rest…listen…"

Dani leaned her head into Margret's chest, sniffling lightly. Margret felt a calmness in the air, like none she'd felt since arriving. She rested her chin upon the child's head, inches from the fingers of the Phantom.

 _"Night time…sharpens, heightens each sensation…"_

Margret lifted her head, listening to the soothing voice of the Phantom as he began singing.

 _"Darkness wakes and stirs imagination…Silently the senses…abandon their defenses…"_

Dani's eyes fluttered, slowly closing as he continued.

" _Helpless to resist the notes…I write…For I compose the music of the night…"_

Dani's head sunk as her eyes shut, body relaxing. Margret cradled the child, rearranging herself so as to perchance stand. She looked at the Phantom, feeling her chest heave with each breath as he watched her, now standing over her. She gulped, watching the shadows move around him. He lowered a hand to her.

"Thank you…" whispered Margret, shifting Dani to her shoulder and hip while taking the Phantom's hand with her now free hand.

"Do not thank me," hissed the Phantom, turning away. "I did nothing for your benefit."

"I know…you did it for her," nodded Margret, shifting the weight of Dani on her hip. "You…you're acting as her guardian, right? Based on the stories between her and her parents, you've been watching over her for a while now."

He didn't answer.

"Why? Why help her? What keeps you here?"

"Goodbye, Madame."

The shadows shifted rapidly, consuming the Phantom and soon he disappointed. Margret sighed but smiled lightly. This was some progress, to say the least.


	12. XII

XII

Margret had used the old white board several times when explaining to her clients the type of ghosts present in the house. She'd do research after séances, looking up the lives of the ghosts to find a peaceful way of helping them pass on. It also made her feel like a detective, using magnets to pin old photos to the board, connecting some of them with red yarn. Unraveling the mystery of life after death.

"How does things?"

Margret looked up, seeing Belle lingering in the doorway. She clutched her arms, fingers tightened to white. Her eyes shifted, glancing between Margret, the board, and the floor. Every slight noise made her twitch. Her face was red, eyes dried and crusted. Margret offered a soft smile, motioning toward the chair beside the small table. Belle's body shambled to the chair, collapsing fully into it.

"It goes," Margret responded, retuning her gaze to the board. "I've found a few suspects, confirmed what we already knew, that sort of thing."

"How many?"

Margret paused, shaking her head.

"I can't be sure. This was a very active place for a very long time. Many people lived and died here. I can't be certain which of them stayed behind."

Belle took in a deep breath. Margret waited for her to release it but it never came. She spun around, seeing Belle bury her face into her hands, heaving tears into her palms. Margret has seen this response several times as well. People don't normally handle hauntings well, but this case was far bigger than a simple haunting. This was massive supernatural mess.

"Hate to interrupt!"

Margret looked back to the doorway. Tilly entered, bearing a clearly forced smile as she dropped a few Burger King bags on the table. Belle looked up slowly, panting between tears. Tilly took the other empty seat, placing a hand on Belle's back.

"Thought I could spice things up with some take out," Tilly mumbled. "Sorry…I got the spare room cleaned up, by the way, if you guys wanna…"

"No," gulped Belle, sitting up. "We've already got the motel room. We'll just stay there for now. Thank you…"

"Okay…" whispered Tilly, looking over to Margret and then the board. "So, what we got?"

"Do you want me to go over everything?" Margret offered.

"Please," replied Belle, lifting her gaze.

Margret stood beside the board. Storytelling time. One of her favorite parts of her job. It was easily the calmest and involved less involvement with actual specters.

"Let's go over what we already know. I mean, who we already know," Margret nodded, pointing to the first photo on the board. "The Phantom. Lived around the 1800s. Unknown date of birth. Unknown date of death. He lived within the Opera Populaire beginning sometime in 1820s or 1830s, brought there by Madame Giry."

Margret felt a chill run down her spine as she said that name. It had only been a short time since she'd seen that woman's ghost dragging Dani away. Comparing the picture she had hanging up to the woman she saw, it seemed impossible that the two were one and the same.

"He became infatuated with a young orphan Giry took in, Christine Daaé. He'd arrange accidents and such in order to get her the lead or draw attention to her. That's ultimately what led to the downfall of the Populaire, when she denied him."

"That's the chick we saw, right?" Tilly perked, pointing to the second picture. "Christine?"

"Yes. She's our second spirit. An orphan, she was raised in the Populaire since she was around 11. It's said she had a beautiful singing voice. She would go on to take the spotlight from Carlotta Giudicelli, which stirred issues within the theatre. She married Viscount Raoul de Chagny.

"Next, we have Monsieur Reyer, the conductor we saw before. Born 1823, died 1909. He had a vocal opinion, but was otherwise kept in the orchestra pit. It is apparent he has an orchestra, but it is nearly impossible to tell exactly who is part of this orchestra."

"Do you know what song they were playing?" Belle whispered.

"No, but I feel as though that by completely the song, we may be able to help them move on."

"Better than nothing," shrugged Tilly.

"Recently confirmed," Margret pointed to the board, "Madame Giry. She was a ballet instructor within the theatre, employed with not only teaching the young girls but looking after the orphans in her care. She walked with a cane. She was aware of the Phantom since his arrival and was the first to appease him with money and food."

"So, four confirmed ghosts? How many more could there be?" snapped Tilly, arms crossed.

"Well, there's a chance Viscount Raoul followed his wife here, as well Madame Giry's daughter may also be here. Also, during the Phantom's time alone, there were two deaths on the premises: stagehand Joseph Buguet and male lead Ubaldo Piangi. Both died at the Phantom's hand. Other than that, there could be those who frequently attended or other actors and ballerinas who may have left their energy."

"This is insane."

The three lifted their gaze to the door again. Marcus stood, shirt half tucked into his pants, sleeves rolled up, pants stained around the cuffs and two different shoes on. He shook his head, pushing off the doorframe.

"This is nonsense!" he snapped, stumbling in. "Solving a bunch of _ghosts'_ problems ain't gonna fix nothing. We need to get rid of them now! I don't care about playing nice. I just want them gone!"

"That's not how this works," huffed Margret.

"Marcus, please," snarled Belle, "Haven't _you_ done enough?"

"You're blaming _me_ for this!?" he shouted.

A breeze seemed to move swiftly through the room, sending a chill down each of their spines. Margret gulped, knowing such a draft likely meant another being was present. Her eyes wandered, trying to find the source, if the person had manifested visually.

"We're letting superstition and bullshit confuse us," Marcus continued. "This whole nonsense ain't my fault! Things only got shitty when _she_ showed up!"

He jabbed a finger at Margret. Belle leapt to her feet, storming over to Marcus. As another gust blew through the room, Belle slapped Marcus across the face. The sound of skin against skin seemed to echo in the silent room. Tilly was halfway up from her seat, reaching out to try and stop Belle before she had acted.

"Marcus, I am so _done_ with your shit…" she hissed. "I've put up with a lot from you but you are endangering your family, our kids, with your denial. Margret was trying to help us and you got in the way with your refusal to accept what was _right_ in front of you!"

Marcus stumbled back, hand raised to his cheek. Silence. Margret and Tilly exchanged a look briefly as Belle stood her ground before Marcus. Her chests heaved with each breath as if she was holding back with each exhale. Marcus stared at her, eyes wandering all over her. His mouth opened a crack, muttering under his breath before quickly turning away. His hand remained to his cheek as he hastily left the room. Belle stumbled backward into the arms of Tilly, finally breaking down into tears.

"I don't know…how much more of this…we can take!" gasped Belle, sobbing deeply into Tilly's shoulder.

"I know, sweetie. We'll figure this out," Tilly muttered, glancing back at Margret. "We've got this…"

Margret nodded, slowly turning back to the board. Even with the few names they had on it, none of this seemed enough. Something dark hung over the opera house, and she wasn't sure if they could all make it out in one piece.


	13. XIII

XIII

Belle used to love the feeling of walking through historical buildings. She could still remember wandering down the halls of her grandmother's house, marveling at the detailed ceilings and intricate wallpaper designs. There was a certain air that came with older buildings, something more than just the smell old books had to offer. The air she once loved to walk through had now shifted into something darker and cast fear upon her soul as she walked the halls of Opera House.

She felt the urge to stand on the stage, overlooking what little progress they had been able to make before…everything unfolded. The seats, ripped from the floor in hopes of making room for new ones, sat in a pile, looming over the aisles they once lined. The stage itself seemed more open now, the curtains parted to reveal the entirety of the podium. The table and chairs remained from their séance, a few chairs thrown loose from the sudden leave.

Belle sat on one of those remaining chairs, looking over the destruction that was supposed to be a path toward reconstruction. It all couldn't end like this. Belle sighed, shutting her eyes. She was so tired, not in a physical sense. Something pulled at her in a way she couldn't describe out loud, something that dragged her back to this opera house, over and over again.

"Hey, toots…"

Belle perked, standing up. A shadowy figure stumbled forward. Greasy hair clung to his face, entangled with his matted beard. Red long sleeves were rolled to his elbow, the front covered by a vest. Fingerless gloves reached out for her. He grinned. Belle felt her throat get tight as he shambled closer, head tilted unnaturally to one side. His grin twitched as he approached.

"Haven't you heard…"

His voice croaked as if struggling to escape his crooked neck. Belle could see the red burn along the crook, texture forever engraved into his skin. She felt her chest heave with each breath, eyes focused on him as she stumbles back. The man continued forward, hands twitching with the rest of his body.

"It's dangerous around here…"

Belle dared a glance behind her. She wasn't close to the stairs. The closest means of escape was to jump off the stage into the pit below, and even that held the uncertainty of being followed or summoning the orchestra. Her feet continued to scuffle backwards, struggling to remain level without lifting too high. Escape. She needed to escape.

"Please," Belle panted, raising a hand to the spirit. "I don't mean any trouble…"

"Like yellow parchment…is his skin…"

"Please…" Belle whimpered.

Her foot fumbled, disrupting her balance and forcing her down. Falling onto her backside, she raised her hand against the ever-approaching man. She could see the break in his neck at the crook, bone nearly piecing through the skin. His eyes were sunken deep into his skull, leaving small slits of light that peered out. The smell that emanated from him, like freshly risen dead.

"A great black hole…served as the nose…that never grew…"

"Please!" gasped Belle.

She held out a hand to stop him, knowing full well that it wouldn't. She choked on each breath, shutting her eyes tight. Another scream, pleading for help from anyone or anything. That's when she felt an arm wrap around her, a body sheltering hers. Opening her eyes, she looked up into the face of her husband. He reeked of alcohol and yet he stood his ground, wrapped around her.

"Marcus…" she whispered.

"Back off, freak!" he shouted.

The spirit opened its mouth, letting out a long breath. His eyes stared deeply at the two. Belle pressed against Marcus' chest, listening to his heart pound. She clung to his arms. Everything else didn't matter right now. Their arguing, how they got into this mess. It didn't matter. She just didn't want to be alone. The ghost lifted its head the best it could, letting out a terrifying shriek. Marcus pulled Belle in closer.

"Buquet!"

The man turned its head slowly. Belle lifted her chin, peering around their tormentor to see another shadowed being. Belle felt her heart sink upon seeing the Phantom. His cloak billowed, revealing his full form. It was as if he was made from shadow, pale skin and bleached mask the only thing that stood out from the darkness. He stood tall, glaring forward. The closer spirit let out another shriek, this time fading swiftly with his form. Soon, the first spirit was gone, leaving the Phantom on the other side of the stage.

"Phantom…" whispered Belle.

She felt Marcus loosen around her, clinging fruitlessly as he stood. His body swayed slightly, no doubt encumbered by the amount he'd been drinking. The Phantom allowed his cloak to relax, wrapping around him. He was practically a silhouette. Marcus lifted one arm, pointing a shaking hand toward the other.

"Bastard!" he gurgled.

"You know not what you say," responded the Phantom, turning around.

"This whole thing is your fucking fault!" shouted Marcus, attempting to stamp his foot but stumbled slightly.

Belle reached out from Marcus, hoping to stop him. The man pulled his hand away from her, struggling to take a step forward. She looked out toward the Phantom, who remained standing still.

"If you had just left my family the hell alone!" howled Marcus. "Stay away from my fucking kid!"

"Stop, before you say something you regret."

Belle could hear the hiss in the Phantom's voice as he glared back at Marcus. A chill ran through the theatre. Her breath shuddered.

"If anything happens…" Marcus grumbled, struggling to keep balance, "it'll be your fault…"

"Enough!"

A great wind soared through the room, throwing Marcus onto his back. Belle sat up, watching the wind wrap around the Phantom's form, billowing his cloak. She could see his fists tightened just as the wind subsided, allowing his cloak to again conform to him. His chest heaved as he shook his head.

"You are a fool," the Phantom snapped. "You blame others for your own mistakes and when you get close to realizing your own shortcoming, you attempt to drown them in alcohol." He spun, pointing a finger back at Marcus. " _You_ turned your daughter against you! _You_ forced my hand to defend her from _your_ anger! _You_ refused the aid of an expert! _You_ summoned what you did not understand! _You_ have threatened your family! You alone…carry _that_ burden."

Belle watched as he pulled his cloak in, allowing the nearby shadows to consume him. As his form vanished, the last thing she saw was his mask and the soft eyes looking back at her. The cold subsided and the wind grew still. Belle sighed, getting to her feet. She looked down upon Marcus as he struggled to ready himself. Her heart twisted inside her, uncertain of what she was supposed to do in this moment. She groaned, shaking her head and walking away.


	14. XIV

XIV

The stage should have been off limits. After all, it had been the heart of a majority of the problems thus far. And yet, Dani sat on the edge, kicking her feet, listening to the echoes of the building. Somehow, she wasn't consumed with fear as she expected to be. Though, she could still remember the tightness that surrounded her when confronting Madame Giry, she felt comfortable when she sat on the stage.

 _"_ _Who is this angel? This angel of music…"_

Dani perked, listening to the soft singing and gentle footsteps approaching. She turned, seeing a young woman casually walking along the edge of the stage. Her long blond hair was bound beautiful, allowing only a small portion to drape back. Her pale skin brightened her eyes and lips but faded into her white dress. Her feet slipped into tiny ballet shoes, making her footsteps softer than normal. Her chin was lifted, eyes searching the heavens.

 _"_ _Hide no longer…"_

Her voice was elegant, moving slowly through the air. Dani got to her feet, watching the woman approach. The woman didn't seem to notice Dani, continuing her stroll along the edge of the stage. She approached, oblivious to the child, hip mouth slightly open. Dani reached out, but something pulled her back. She looked up, seeing Christine's face. The latter smiled lightly before looking back to the wandering spirit.

 _"_ _Secret and strange angel…"_

The woman's voice trailed, echoing as her form faded softly. Dani watched Christine's expression soften like one who lost a loved one. Dani patted Christine's hand wrapped around her. The woman looked back down, offering her forgiving smile again. Dani turned around to face her properly.

"Do you know her?" Dani hummed.

Christine kneeled, dress puffing around her and consuming her bottom half. Her eyes glittered, sprinkled with hidden tears, as she smiled back at the child. After a moment of staring into each other's eyes, Christine nodded.

"Her name is Meg. We were as close as sisters," Christine sighed. "I loved her like a sister. I trusted her with everything."

"Have you talked to her?"

"No," Christine gulped, looking away. "Meg is alone here. She wanders along this stage…singing I song I sang to her, unable to see or hear anyone. Alone."

"Can't we help her?"

Christine bit her lip.

"I'm sorry, child. I don't know what we can do for her now."

Dani nodded. Christine smiled again, gently caressing the child's face with one hand. She could not truly feel the child but she felt her warmth. A sensation she missed. Her fingers moved through the child's hair, lifting it gently. That's when she saw the discoloration. Christine perked, stopping her hand. Dani continued to smile.

"May I?" whispered Christine.

Dani nodded.

Christine moved the patch of hair covering Dani's face, revealing the red-purple colored patch across the left side of her face. Christine stared deeply at the colors as they blended but remained distinct. Leaving the hair behind the child's ear, Christine hovered her fingers above the birthmark. She was afraid to touch it, even though she could not truly feel it.

"Momma says I was born with it," Dani began. "It's called a birthmark. Momma used to say, it's God's fingerprint from when he made me."

"God's fingerprint…" sniffled Christine, pulling away. "The mark of an angel."

Dani giggled. Her hair fell back down, covering her eye. Christine sighed.

"Has…the Phantom ever see your mark?" Christine hummed, looking deeply into Dani's eyes.

"No," Dani nodded. "I don't really show it off cuz people get all weird sometimes."

"Yes, I know," Christine whispered, looking away.

"Do you think he'd like it?"

Christine bit her lip again, shutting her eyes. She still remembered his true face. She remembered screaming when she first laid eyes on it. The color, the disfigurement, that labeled him the son of the devil and yet now, the world was a place where a child with a brighter mark could be considered a gift from God. She felt a lump in her throat.

"Yes," she choked. "I think he would love that…"

Dani grinned brightly.

"Maybe next time," she hummed, looking toward the door. "I should go. Momma's gonna worry about me if I'm gone too long."

"Yes, of course…"

"Bye, Christine!"

Christine watched as Dani skipped to the stage's stairs, leaping down two at a time before running off across the open floor. She looked so small as she ran away. Even now, she seemed full of life and light amongst the darkness that was now surrounding the opera house. Christine smiled. It restored some light in her as well.


End file.
